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Chronic stress alters our genetic immune response

Most people would agree that stress increases your risk for illness and this is particularly true for severe long-term stresses, such as caring for a family member with a chronic medical illness. However, we still have a relatively limited understanding of exactly how stress contributes to the risk for illness. In the August 15th issue of Biological Psychiatry, researchers shed new light on one link between stress and illness by describing a mechanism through which stress alters immune function.

27 Aug 2008

Potential new targets for antidepressants

The news about antidepressant medications over the past several years has been mixed. The bad news from large multicenter studies such as STAR*D is that current antidepressant medications are effective, but not as effective as one might hope. Thus, there is a significant need for new treatment mechanisms for depression. On that front, there has been mixed news as well.

27 Aug 2008

Doctor's job in jeopardy after he prescribed sleeping tablets to a suicidal patient

The job of a Scottish doctor is under jeopardy after he prescribed sleeping tablets to a suicidal patient who then took her own life.

27 Aug 2008

Child's aggressive cancer spotted in a photo sent to a friend

A baby girl's photograph shown online to a friend of her mother has led to the child being diagnosed with a cancerous tumour.

27 Aug 2008

Drug Lucentis to save eyesight of thousands in the UK

The eyesight of thousands of people in the UK will be saved with a new drug available under the National Health Service.

27 Aug 2008

Many people mistaken about the causes of cancer

A large international survey for the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) has revealed that many people have misconceptions about what causes cancer.

27 Aug 2008

Changes to California health insurance programs might result in loss of coverage for thousands of children

Efforts by California to expand health insurance to all children have "stalled," and "thousands of kids are in danger of losing insurance" as a result of recent changes to state programs, the Los Angeles Times reports.

26 Aug 2008

Alabama board approves plan to charge state employees for obesity, health problems

The Alabama State Employees' Insurance Board last week approved a plan that will require state employees who are obese or have health problems to make progress to address those issues or pay a monthly charge for health insurance, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

26 Aug 2008

Democratic National Committee approves platform with health care language; Obama campaigns in Iowa

The Democratic National Committee on Monday during the Democratic National Convention voted to adopt a non-binding party platform that includes language about health care, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports. According to the AP/Newsday, the platform in large part follows recommendations from presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) but moves "beyond his proposals in calling for guaranteed health care for all" (Woodward, AP/Long Island Newsday, 8/26).

26 Aug 2008

Stanford University to limit pharmaceutical industry financing of CME

Stanford University officials on Tuesday plan to announce a new policy under which pharmaceutical and medical device companies no longer will have the ability to select continuing medical education courses that they seek to finance for physicians at the university's School of Medicine, the New York Times reports.

26 Aug 2008

Blue Cross Blue Shield plans consider consolidation amid tightening managed-care market

Some Blue Cross Blue Shield not-for-profit organizations are considering either merging or converting to for-profit status to help them compete with larger insurers in an "increasingly concentrated managed-care industry," the Wall Street Journal reports.

26 Aug 2008

Uninsured U.S. residents will spend $30 billion out-of-pocket on health care this year, while receiving $56 billion in uncompensated care

Uninsured U.S. residents will spend about $30 billion out-of-pocket on health care this year, while other parties -- mainly the government -- will spend about $56 billion on uncompensated care for the uninsured, according to a study published online Monday in the journal Health Affairs, the Wall Street Journal reports.

26 Aug 2008

New York Health Department to decide soon whether Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS should be moved into managed care plans

The New York State Department of Health in the next few weeks is expected to issue a final decision on whether to switch Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS from fee-for-service plans to managed care plans, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports (AP/Long Island Newsday, 8/24).

26 Aug 2008

City funding reaches needle-exchange programs in Washington, D.C.

Funding for needle-exchange programs in Washington, D.C., is beginning to reach groups that run the programs eight months after Congress lifted a ban of city funding for needle-exchange programs, but it is unclear how effective the increased funding will be at reducing the spread of HIV in the district, the AP/Washington Times reports (Westley, AP/Washington Times, 8/24).

26 Aug 2008

HIV-positive renters in New York City leaving homes because of foreclosures, New York Times reports

At least 50 HIV-positive renters in New York City have notified city housing organizations in the past few months that they had to leave their homes or have been evicted because of foreclosures and that they are having difficulty finding new homes, the New York Times reports.

26 Aug 2008

Genzyme, Medicines for Malaria Venture, Advinus collaborate on malaria initiative

The Cambridge, Mass.-based biotechnology firm Genzyme on Monday announced it will collaborate with the not-for-profit group Medicines for Malaria Venture and the Indian pharmaceutical company Advinus Therapeutics to develop new malaria treatments, the Boston Business Journal reports.

26 Aug 2008

Genetically manipulated virus could prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria, study says

A genetically manipulated version of densovirus could prevent Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes from transmitting malaria, according to a study published last week in PLoS Pathogens, the New York Times reports.

26 Aug 2008

Population Services International HIV/AIDS program reaches out to prisoners in Mexico

Population Services International has created HIV/AIDS awareness programs inside five Mexican prisons to address myths surrounding the disease and prevent its spread, the New York Times reports.

26 Aug 2008

Breastfeeding could reduce risk of aggressive form of breast cancer that disproportionately affects black, younger women

Breastfeeding for at least six months might lower the risk of developing so-called "triple negative" breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that is more common in black and younger women, according to a study published on Monday in the journal Cancer, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports (Paulson, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 8/24).

26 Aug 2008

Ottawa Citizen examines campaign aimed at changing behavior in Uganda to fight HIV/AIDS

The Ottawa Citizen on Sunday examined a campaign in Uganda aimed at stopping unsafe sexual behavior -- particularly among young women and older men -- that is contributing the spread of HIV in the country.

26 Aug 2008

Medical News

Chronic stress alters our genetic immune response

Potential new targets for antidepressants

Doctor's job in jeopardy after he prescribed sleeping tablets to a suicidal patient

Child's aggressive cancer spotted in a photo sent to a friend

Drug Lucentis to save eyesight of thousands in the UK

Many people mistaken about the causes of cancer

Changes to California health insurance programs might result in loss of coverage for thousands of children

Alabama board approves plan to charge state employees for obesity, health problems

Democratic National Committee approves platform with health care language; Obama campaigns in Iowa

Stanford University to limit pharmaceutical industry financing of CME

Blue Cross Blue Shield plans consider consolidation amid tightening managed-care market

Uninsured U.S. residents will spend $30 billion out-of-pocket on health care this year, while receiving $56 billion in uncompensated care

New York Health Department to decide soon whether Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS should be moved into managed care plans

City funding reaches needle-exchange programs in Washington, D.C.

HIV-positive renters in New York City leaving homes because of foreclosures, New York Times reports

Genzyme, Medicines for Malaria Venture, Advinus collaborate on malaria initiative

Genetically manipulated virus could prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria, study says

Population Services International HIV/AIDS program reaches out to prisoners in Mexico

Breastfeeding could reduce risk of aggressive form of breast cancer that disproportionately affects black, younger women

Ottawa Citizen examines campaign aimed at changing behavior in Uganda to fight HIV/AIDS

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